Bobby Franklin, a (gasp!) Republican from Georgia, has introduced a bill to change the civil and criminal codes of the state so that victims of stalking, rape, and domestic violence must be called "accusers," not victims. Oh my fucking god.

The new measure would refer to victims of sexual violence as "accusers" until the accused was convicted of the crime, thus ending the Republican Party's Lady-Hating-est Month in recent memory.

Now, maybe I'm being unfair in accusing conservative lawmakers of hating women. It must be just a coincidence that this new measure would only apply to crimes that are disproportionately committed against women. Maybe a law requiring people who are mugged on the street be referred to as "mugging accusers" and people who die under suspicious circumstances be referred to as "murder accusers" until someone's convicted of the crime is in the pipeline. It must be, right? Unless, at the root of most conservative social viewpoints is a fucked up hatred of women and a complete disregard for the interests of anyone except their own.

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The Republican platform of 2011 is about cutting taxes, you guys! It's about reducing spending. It's not about changing the definition of rape, or removing women's access to choice by demonizing Planned Parenthood, or revictimizing female crime victims by branding them as "accusers," as someone to be doubted, as someone to be mistrusted. No, sir. It's about spending. Not barely-hidden contempt for women. Spending.

To look on the bright side, though, one could argue that restricting the use of the word "victim" is making it even more special for us ladies. It really gives us something to work toward, and once you're finally bestowed the title of "victim," no one can take that away from you. You can put it on your business cards after your name, like CPA or CFA or JD. Erin Gloria Ryan, Victim(TM). It's like being a sex crime Eagle Scout.

If this measure passes, the female population of the state of Georgia a collective victim, in the new legal sense of the word, of Bobby Franklin's indisputable fuckery.